There
is a divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough-hew them how we will.Hamlet; Act V, Scene 2

INTRODUCTION

SHORTLY AFTER I was
saved, I had the wonderful privilege of being left almost entirely
free for a whole winter, far from the madding crowd and with
virtually nothing to do but study the Word of God. Eight times
I read it through from cover to cover, and at that time I was
particularly concerned with the Problem of Evil.
This study is part of that experience.

The text is punctuated in the appropriate
places by a series of increasingly detailed "genealogical
trees" of Scripture references, set out in such a way as
to show to the best advantage how very much God has really said
about His own omnipotence in the affairs of nations, and of individuals
-- saved and unsaved alike.
It is essentially a Bible study,
and there is much room for further discussion of the many points
raised in the text, especially in the final chapter dealing with
the basis of God's judgment of our lives. It is comforting indeed
to my own soul to know that the Lord God omnipotent reigneth,
in spite of all things.

Note: related
to this paper is "The Problem of Evil: Some Little-Considered
Physical Aspects" in Volume IX; also, "Nature as Part
of the Kingdom of God" in Volume III.